Although the majority of people turn to ibuprofen tablets including Advil, Motrin, Nuprin & Nurofen to relieve any type of pain and inflammation, mounting evidence links these over-the-counter painkillers to serious health issues, especially if taken regularly.
There’s no question ibuprofen eases a wide range of pains from headache, backache and other muscular aches and pains, but it also induces a number of negative effects on overall health.
Some of the adverse effects of long-term use of ibuprofen and similar NSAIDs include, but are not limited to nausea, hypertension (high blood pressure), diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, higher risk of heart attack, higher risk of kidney cancer, erectile dysfunction etc. What ibuprofen and other NSAIDs do in the body is inhibit an enzyme – COX-2 or Cyclooxygenase 2, which triggers inflammation in certain parts of the body making them more painful than normal.
Fortunately, natural medicine has plenty to offer when it comes to reducing pain and inflammation in the body. For instance, turmeric, one of the most health-beneficial spices on the planet, is abundant in curcumin – an active compound that blocks the COX-2 enzyme thus blocking the pain and reducing the inflammation.
On the plus side, turmeric causes no side effects like ibuprofen and is therefore a much safer alternative to over-the-counter painkillers. In fact, this spice has a millennia-long history of use in South Asian tradition.
Turmeric tea is one of the easiest methods to include this spice into your diet and reap its numerous health benefits.
For one thing, drinking turmeric tea can alleviate tension headaches and soothe painful muscles and joints. Here we provide a health-improving turmeric tea recipe.
Homemade Turmeric Tea Recipe
- 2 grated fresh turmeric root, or 1 tsp. of ground turmeric
- 4 cups of water
- honey/fresh lemon to taste
- 1 of coconut oil (to increase turmeric absorption in the body)
Directions:
Start by bringing the water to a boil then add the turmeric. Boil for 15-20 minutes if using fresh grated turmeric, or 10 minutes if using powdered turmeric. Next, use a fine sieve to strain the liquid then add the coconut oil, honey and lemon to taste.
Important: Pregnant or breast feeding women should avoid consuming turmeric tea.